Featured posts:

They say you never really leave the place you love, but rather you take a part of it with you, and a part of you stays behind. For this weeks feature we head to Cannon Beach, OR for this destination engagement portrait session with Crystal and Matt!

Everyone keeps asking, are you still painting? The answer is a resounding yes! When my career started over 20 years ago, I launched Urban Crayon, and worked as a large scale, commissioned muralist in New England. About 10 years later, I moved into the fine art on canvas arena, Both were extremely satisfying but had I not welcomed change and growth, I would have missed a huge opportunity for fulfillment.

You're engaged and you've set a date! Oh my goodness, congratulations!!! This is the start of the crazy journey that you will remember forever. There is so much to do, from securing your venue, locking in your photographer, and picking your dress. There are more details to attend to and they will practically make your head spin off its axis! Some things are easy decisions, and others may be more difficult and you'll end up relying on valuable referrals from friends and the vendors with whom you're working.

Recently, I've been spending time visiting with wonderful vendors that I wholeheartedly recommend and I am sharing them here for my current and future Kitsap brides (stay tuned for the features on Seattle). From TJ at Garden Party Flowers for your florals (she splits her time between Seattle and Kitsap. See my previous post on her amazing work here) to Kiana Lodge and their wedding coordinator, Laura Lewis for your venue, there are some amazing professionals out there who are not only a pleasure to work with, but who are also insanely talented.

Beautifully Polished lands in the insanely talented category. Kerry, the owner and founder of the Salon has been honing her craft and business for over 22 years. She is a beautiful and savvy master esthetician and businesswoman, who also knows a thing or two about making brides feel and look stunning on their wedding day. Kerry has built a well-oiled machine that is suited to effortlessly accommodate a bride and her entire bridal party in their waterfront salon, or on location.

Beautifully Polished has EVERYTHING -- nail technicians, spa and skincare services (Botox anyone?!) and my personal favorite .... makeup artists. I gush over good makeup artists because they are worth their weight in gold. They know exactly how to play up features for the camera. A quick bit on makeup for the camera --- more than likely your makeup artist will apply far more makeup than you're used to wearing and this is what's needed to achieve a flawless and stunning look. Oh and yes, when they ask you if you want to have false lashes please say YES! They add so much pop and pretty in photos!

After booking with me every bride receives my Style Guide to help with planning and preparing for their engagement session. In it, I have devoted a full spread to talking about the importance of working with a make up artist for all our sessions.

Owning an Urban Decay Naked Palette does not make a makeup artist. While an artist is an artist regardless of training, when it comes to makeup I respect professionals who have honed their craft and are reliable, work well under pressure and take great care with their business, clients, product selections and application processes (getting pink eye would be my personal nightmare on my wedding day and believe me, it happens!) Here's a great and hilarious article written by Whitney, a makeup artist in Missouri. She is spot on about so many points.